How to Clean Silicone Baking Mats

Silicone baking mats are a fantastic replacement for parchment paper. But unlike paper, you can keep reusing them to bake treats without extra oils. 

However, silicone molecules expand when they get hot. That allows grease like butter and oil to seep into the pad. Then, you get a glossy grease finish left behind. 

Since your silicone baking mat got dirty from heat, you’ll need to do the same to clean it. Each of these tips will include hot water with a different cleansing agent.

Thankfully, there are several ways to clean your silicone baking mat. The first methods on this list will take out tough grease and oil. The last one will teach you how to remove stains. 

Use Baking Soda

Try to use baking soda, not powder. Baking soda is about 3-4 times stronger than baking powder and can save you cleaning time. 

So, without further ado, follow these easy steps: 

1. Prepare a sink full of hot water for the silicone baking mat.
2. Mix baking soda with either vinegar or water on the mat. 
3. Use a sponge or bristle brush to work the mixture into it.
4. Let it soak for 10 to 20 minutes.
5. Rinse it off and let it dry.

You may have to do these steps more than once for extra tough stains. However, this should still remove most of the grease. 

Put it in the Dishwasher

Yes, your silicone baking mat is dishwasher safe!

Just roll it up and put it in the top rack of the washer. Since dishwashers get hot, it’ll kill two birds with one stone to clean it up.

Remember that the bottom gets hotter than the top and can put too much heat on the mat. And too much heat could potentially warp its shape. So, make sure you put it on the top rack of the dishwasher only!

Apply Lemon Juice

I love this method because it also makes your silicone baking mat smell good. To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Prepare your sink with hot water. 
2. Squeeze half a lemon’s juice into it.
3. Soak the silicone baking mat in it for about 15 minutes.
4. Rinse off the mixture and let it dry.

Like vinegar, lemon juice is a weak acid. It also works as a natural bleaching agent to help fight off stains. 

You can even try combining this with baking soda if you have it on hand. You’ll notice baking soda with lemon produces suds, and that’s perfectly normal. Just remember to wear gloves to protect your skin while working with this mixture!

Turn to your Tough Dish Soap

If you don’t have baking soda, lemon juice, or vinegar, that’s okay. Look for any tough dish soap you already have. Natural versions might be too gentle for this job, so heads up. You’ll want only your toughest products because this option may be more challenging than the others.

To clean your silicone baking mat with dish soap, follow these steps:

1. Prepare boiling water for the mat.
2. Mix it with grease-fighting dish soap.
3. Let the silicone baking mat soak in it for 20 or more minutes.
4. Remove the mat, rinse, and dry. 

The only con to this method is that you may need to use hotter water. However, it’s still good to know that regular dish soap can help do the job.

How Do I Remove Stains?

We covered how to clean silicone baking mats from oil and grease above. Sadly, these methods won’t always take away stains. 

Certain foods like tomato sauce or Tumeric have colored compounds that grease-fighters can’t remove. Instead of using soap, you need to use a bleaching agent to break down these compounds.

Hydrogen peroxide is a slow-acting bleaching agent that’s safe to use on cooking wear. 

Here’s how to clean your silicone baking mat with it:

1. Apply hydrogen peroxide to the stained area.
2. Let it soak for 24 hours. 
3. Rinse the mixture off, and dry it.

If you don’t have time to do this today, don’t worry. Stains may look pesky, but don’t affect how well food cooks on the mat. 

Final Tips

When you’re cleaning your silicone baking mat, there are a few rules you should always follow. They are:

1. Always use warm or hot water to expand it.
2. Either roll it or lay it flat.
3. Don’t use a knife on it. 

We covered why hot water is important to expand your silicone baking mat for cleaning.

But for number two, you never want to crease your mat by bending or folding it. Those edges create extra awkward areas for you to clean. So, roll it, or keep it flat.

Plus, using a knife to chop food directly on the mat can easily puncture the silicone. Then, it starts developing an uneven layer to clean.

We hope this will help you clean your silicone baking mat from tough stains and grease. Then, you can confidently use it to make your cookies, scones, or dinner again.